Microsoft Security Bulletin MS15-014 - Important

10/11/20176 minutes to readContributors

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Vulnerability in Group Policy Could Allow Security Feature Bypass (3004361)

Published: February 10, 2015

Version: 1.0

Executive Summary

This security update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in Microsoft Windows. The vulnerability could allow security feature bypass if an attacker, by way of a man-in-the-middle attack, causes the Group Policy Security Configuration Engine policy file on a targeted system to become corrupted or otherwise unreadable. This results in the Group Policy settings on the system to revert to their default, and potentially less secure, state.

This security update is rated Important for all supported releases of Microsoft Windows. For more information, see the Affected Software section.

The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how Group Policy settings are applied when the Security Configuration Engine policy file is corrupted or otherwise unreadable. For more information about the vulnerability, see the Vulnerability Information section.

Affected Software

The following software versions or editions are affected. Versions or editions that are not listed are either past their support life cycle or are not affected. To determine the support life cycle for your software version or edition, see Microsoft Support Lifecycle.

Severity Ratings and Vulnerability Identifiers

The following severity ratings assume the potential maximum impact of the vulnerability. For information regarding the likelihood, within 30 days of this security bulletin's release, of the exploitability of the vulnerability in relation to its severity rating and security impact, please see the Exploitability Index in the February bulletin summary.

Vulnerability Information

Group Policy Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability - CVE-2015-0009

A security feature bypass vulnerability exists in the Group Policy application of Security Configuration policies that could cause Group Policy settings on a targeted system to revert to their default, and potentially less secure, state. An attacker could accomplish this by way of a man-in-the-middle attack that modifies domain controller responses to client requests.

Workstations and servers that are configured to use Group Policy are primarily at risk from this vulnerability. The update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how Group Policy settings are applied when the Security Configuration Engine policy file is corrupted or otherwise unreadable.

Microsoft received information about this vulnerability through coordinated vulnerability disclosure. When this security bulletin was originally issued Microsoft had not received any information to indicate that this vulnerability had been publicly used to attack customers.

Security Update Deployment

Acknowledgments

Microsoft recognizes the efforts of those in the security community who help us protect customers through responsible vulnerability disclosure. See Acknowledgments for more information.

Disclaimer

The information provided in the Microsoft Knowledge Base is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind. Microsoft disclaims all warranties, either express or implied, including the warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. In no event shall Microsoft Corporation or its suppliers be liable for any damages whatsoever including direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, loss of business profits or special damages, even if Microsoft Corporation or its suppliers have been advised of the possibility of such damages. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages so the foregoing limitation may not apply.